Trauma remains a significant and persistent public health problem, accounting for 90,000 deaths and 20 million people disabled annually. Current concepts of appropriate triage and emergency treatment of gunshot wounds are addressed from a trauma surgeon's perspective. Recent studies regarding prehospital transport policy, and acute diagnostic studies allow optimal treatment guidelines to be formulated. Specifically, rapid transport rather than prolonged on-scene treatment (including maneuvers such as formal thoracolumbar immobilization) should be given the highest priority. Also, routine arteriography (another time-consuming and invasive procedure) in the treatment of gunshot wounds to the extremity is no longer the standard of care.